Park service seeks comments on plan for St. Croix Island

January 5, 2009 9:34 pm

RED BEACH, Maine — The National Park Service is seeking written public comments on an Environmental Assessment and Assessment of Effect for the Draft Facilities Development Plan for the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site.

The environmental assessment was released for public review on Jan. 5. The alternatives and their effects will be presented at an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 15, in the assembly room at Washington County Community College in Calais.

When completed, the facilities plan will guide the park service’s development projects on the mainland portion of the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site for the next 15 to 20 years. Written comments on the environmental assessment will be accepted until Feb. 4.

The environmental assessment presents four alternatives for providing universally accessible visitor and administrative facilities at Red Beach, specifically a ranger station with year-round restrooms and other amenities, expanded maintenance facilities, and employee housing. This development would be accomplished while protecting the community’s and site’s character, historic structures, cultural landscapes, and natural and cultural resources, according to a press release.

It also will address the use of the McGlashan-Nickerson house, acquired by the park service in 2000, after the park’s General Management Plan was published. The environmental assessment explains the purpose and need for the plan, describes natural and cultural resources near the project site, describes actions that would be taken to minimize adverse effects, and evaluates the potential effects of each alternative, according to the release. It will not address future use of the adjacent privately owned parcels located within the site’s authorized boundary.

No facilities are planned for Saint Croix Island.

The environmental assessment will be available for review and comment on the Internet from the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment Web site at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov.

Paper copies of the environmental assessment will be available for review in Calais and Eastport, and St. Stephen and St. Andrews, New Brunswick, public libraries, or may be obtained by calling Saint Croix Ranger Meg Scheid at 454-3871. The superintendent of Acadia National Park administers Saint Croix Island Interna-tional Historic Site.